I would be interested in knowing if there are studies on how rapidly a new word gets disseminated from its point of origin. Perhaps someone who studies network theory could point me to a spot.
Thanks.
Speed of dissemination of new words
dissemination
Hmm a math question, and interesting. I would also like to know how word of mouth compares to print, radio, tv and fark. The speed is approaching c, and the nodes are approaching a few billion. Language change seems almost instantaneous now, to me, along with visual language. Lolcats and all. Memes are not so much in the OED yet but will be, I think. But I don't know of any studies of how it has changed over time.
There is an article in Nature Online on a related topic that you might find interesting. Look at "How 'holp' became 'helped'" published on the Nature website on October 10.
There Lieberman et al. report that the "half-life of irregular verbs is proportional to the square root of their frequency"
Cheers,
There Lieberman et al. report that the "half-life of irregular verbs is proportional to the square root of their frequency"
Cheers,
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Re: dissemination
Fark?I would also like to know how word of mouth compares to print, radio, tv and fark.
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
dissemination hehe
Fark as an example of memes gone wild ...
but bnjtokyo, I must read that article. do they provide constants, as in English vs French? Or just imply that frequency of use is overpowered by the tendency of some languages to change or avoid change? Language is lethargic, but usually just wants to get along with the largest number of speakers, so Lieberman's idea makes sense.
but bnjtokyo, I must read that article. do they provide constants, as in English vs French? Or just imply that frequency of use is overpowered by the tendency of some languages to change or avoid change? Language is lethargic, but usually just wants to get along with the largest number of speakers, so Lieberman's idea makes sense.
Re: dissemination hehe
Appreciate your posts, Melissa!Fark as an example of memes gone wild ...
but bnjtokyo, I must read that article. do they provide constants, as in English vs French? Or just imply that frequency of use is overpowered by the tendency of some languages to change or avoid change? Language is lethargic, but usually just wants to get along with the largest number of speakers, so Lieberman's idea makes sense.
Would you expand on your comment that "language is lethargic"? (I've just always thought of it as dynamic, constantly and rather swiftly changing--but, that may just be my experience with English...)
Dear Sluggo,
The Wiktionary says
"Etymology
"1. Presumably a phonetic spelling of f*ck pronounced slowly.
"2. A "word to symbolize news that is really Not News" from the website fark.com and the book "It's Not News, It's Fark."
"Interjection
"fark
"(Australia, euphemism, vulgar) F*ck, as interjection of surprise, etc.
"Usage notes
"Only very slightly less offensive than f*ck itself."
[nb to avoid the profanity filter, I replaced "u" in the original with "*"]
I believe definition 2 is the one intended in Melissa's post.
Cheers,
The Wiktionary says
"Etymology
"1. Presumably a phonetic spelling of f*ck pronounced slowly.
"2. A "word to symbolize news that is really Not News" from the website fark.com and the book "It's Not News, It's Fark."
"Interjection
"fark
"(Australia, euphemism, vulgar) F*ck, as interjection of surprise, etc.
"Usage notes
"Only very slightly less offensive than f*ck itself."
[nb to avoid the profanity filter, I replaced "u" in the original with "*"]
I believe definition 2 is the one intended in Melissa's post.
Cheers,
dissemination
bnjtokyo, yes.
"2. A "word to symbolize news that is really Not News" from the website fark.com and the book "It's Not News, It's Fark."
yes, was just referring to dissemination of memes and the fact that it happens a little faster now, whether it is news or new...
fark can be an ugly word, if used wrongly, but here I only meant the way words can change in a positive way, as we really need a word to say that "news" is not information but well, fodder.
"2. A "word to symbolize news that is really Not News" from the website fark.com and the book "It's Not News, It's Fark."
yes, was just referring to dissemination of memes and the fact that it happens a little faster now, whether it is news or new...
fark can be an ugly word, if used wrongly, but here I only meant the way words can change in a positive way, as we really need a word to say that "news" is not information but well, fodder.
and lethargic
Skinem,
Yes my experience of English vs French is yes. Anglophones have been very creative, Francophones not so much. Why English is the lingua 'franca'? not so much. Probably more about global domination than lethargic vs energetic language change. But gotta love the fact that the common language at the moment doesn't have an 'academy'. It makes it easier.
Yes my experience of English vs French is yes. Anglophones have been very creative, Francophones not so much. Why English is the lingua 'franca'? not so much. Probably more about global domination than lethargic vs energetic language change. But gotta love the fact that the common language at the moment doesn't have an 'academy'. It makes it easier.
metamucil
Yes Metamucil, possibly the most attractive brand name yet for etymologists.
But @perry, I agree that modern Hebrew needs an academy, but I doubt that modern French does. I still feel that English is the fastest and not necessarily because of politics but because of frequency of use, and disuse. The fact that English is being spoken on the tubes by many who do not speak it as a first language implies that it will change drastically in the future.
But @perry, I agree that modern Hebrew needs an academy, but I doubt that modern French does. I still feel that English is the fastest and not necessarily because of politics but because of frequency of use, and disuse. The fact that English is being spoken on the tubes by many who do not speak it as a first language implies that it will change drastically in the future.
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